LUCKNOW: Former Union minister and supreme court lawyer Kapil Sibal on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for Rajya Sabha polls as a Samajwadi Party-backed candidate.
After filing his nomination, Sibal announced that he had already resigned from Congress on May 16 itself.
"I have filed my papers as an independent candidate. It is important to be an independent voice in parliament. If an independent voice speaks up then people will believe it is not linked to any political party," Sibal said.
The ace Supreme Court lawyer also expressed his gratitude to the SP chief for his support.
"I am thankful to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav that he supported me. I also wish to convey my gratitude to Azam Khan for the support that he has given me, not just now but over the years in the past," Sibal said.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who accompanied Sibal in filing his nomination papers along with senior leader and MP Ram Gopal Yadav, said his party would support Sibal as an independent voice. "He is known for speaking his mind," Akhilesh said. He said the party will announce the names of the remaining two candidates soon.
Earlier in the day, Sibal reached Samajwadi Party headquarters to complete the nomination documentation.
Kabil Sibal, one of the senior leaders in the Congress, had been part of the "G-23" of a group of 23 disgruntled leaders who had written to party chief Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 demanding a complete overhaul of the party's leadership and organisation.
